It's Not How The Heart Works
by Xueyan
Summary: Kesenai Tsumi is an alchemist trying to sign up for the entrance exam. Her own alchemic powers effect the heart emotionally and tug at Edward's heartstrings, & messes with Roy... EdxWin&RoyxRiza : [CHAPTER 5: Time To Ourselves UP!]
1. Busted Arm

**It's Not How The Heart Works  
****Chapter 1  
" Busted Arm " **

†

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any characters from FullMetal Alchemist, Hiromu Arakawa does. If I did own FMA, I would dress up Ed in a neko suit, and make Mustang my husband. n.n 

†

**/Edward /**

"Man, she's going to kill me this time, Al."

"Brother, you should've been more careful, you know that."

"HEY, I was trying, but that damned Scar just blew up my arm with one grab!"

"I guess... but she's still going to be pretty mad."

I had just finished a mission for Mustang. I had went to Lior to find remnants of the Philosophers stone from Conero, the head priest there. Instead it was a trap made by Scar, to bring me out. Why, I still did not know.

"Brother? We're here now."

They had just arrived at the Rockbells' place. I was just about to knock on the door until he predicted what would happen. The wrench. Oh, the damned wrench that I always felt when Winry banged it on my head. He could already feel the cold metal on his forehead.

Might as well get it over with, I thought. I braced my self and knocked on the door.

"ED! God, it's been ages since I've last seen you!"

She embraced me with a hug, then I felt the heat get to my face. The heat however, quickly turned into agonizing pain.

She had hit me with the wrench. Damnit, she's trying to kill me with the same wrench I bought her!

"EDWAAAAARD! WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO YOUR ARM?"

I stood there for what seemed like forever, rubbing my head to make the pain go away.

Al tried to back me up, but the look on Winry's face seemed like she was prepared to whack me with the deadly weapon again.

"Winry, Ed was..."

I could see Winry just sighed and beckoned us to come in. It had started to rain.

I sat down on the small couch and Winry had brung in a cup of coffee.

"Thanks."

"Ed, why do you keep breaking my automail that I put so much time and effort into? You'd think a midget would get into so much trouble!"

"WHO DID YOU CALL AN ULTRA HYPER MIDGET?"

"Ed, I didn't say that!" _No, all she said was that I WAS A MIDGET!_

I was ready to pounce on Winry until Al held me back. He was always the one keeping me out of trouble.

"Ed, take off your clothes."

WHAT? Why the hell did she want me to take off my clothes? I had felt my face burn crimson.

Winry just gave me a stupefied look.

"You're soaking wet, and your clothes are covered in mud, Ed. I need to dry off & clean your clothes."

Oh, now I get it. I removed my red coat, vest, undershirt, pants and boots, which only left me in my blue boxers. Winry had given me a blanket because it was cold. I gulped down the coffee then fell asleep on the couch while Winry walked into the kitchen to dump the clothes in the washing machine (did they even have washing machines? oh well, now they do xD).

**/ Winry /**

Gosh, whenever Ed comes to give me a visit, he's always breaking the automail I make for him! Does he KNOW how much time it takes to do even one limb? I guess not...

I dumped in his clothes until I saw his watch. The watch that certified him as a state alchemist. Oh the craftsmanship... oh the beauty... how I wished to take it apart... but since the incident last year, I dared not touch it.

His clothes, they smelled just like Ed. I dumped them all in, set the watch back on the counter where Ed was, then took out my toolbox to work on Ed's new arm.

I had noticed that Al went outside, since the rain stopped. He was outside picking apples from the apple tree (they didn't have an apple tree either... but who cares, it's my story). I looked down at Ed. I put down my coffee and walked over to him. He looked so calm in his sleep, his face with a serene look, then his eyes twisted and then he started to call out, "MOTHER! NO!" Ed had clung to my arm, as if it was a stuffed doll a toddler loved. I thought of pulling away, but didn't. So many things had happened when he was on his journey, so much blood had probably been spilt. A song came back to Winry, the song that always reminded her of Ed.

_regret is a dull and rusted blade_

_that covers me with scars that never fade_

_these wounds, like a catalog of flaws_

_serve to remind me of all the pain i've caused_

He was still a child. I looked at his chest and he had a scar on the side of his stomach. I touched it slightly and it made Ed twitch a little, then he woke up.

**/ Edward /**

I woke up, finding myself holding on to Winry's arm. I had that same nightmare again, when Al and I had tried to bring back our mother... to see her smile again... but that still didn't prove why I was clutching onto Winry's arm. I pulled away quickly, not knowing what happened.

"Winry, why was I holding your arm like that?"

"I really don't know, you were yelling 'mother.' Did you have that same dream again?"

She knew me too well. _Yes I had the same dream again, the dream that has been haunting me for a while now_.

"Yeah, I did."

Without thinking, I was hugging Winry the next second. She had returned the hug. I missed having someone to hold like this, someone who cared. I dug my head into her neck, breathing her in, always thinking I should do things now, before I would never have the chance to again...

**/ Winry /**

As soon as Ed was hugging me, I felt his breath on my neck. It made the me twitch a little, as I wondered, Ed isn't doing this, I know he isn't. Reality smacked me in the face and said, _Winry, it's real. He's hugging you, but it feels like you want something more, you want a ki..._

Edward broke the hug and then asked, "So, are my clothes done yet?"

She stopped listening to the voice in her head.

"Almost, they're drying right now."

"Alright then. Hey, it stopped raining."

"It stopped a while ago."

Al had just come back from picking the apples.

"Hello brother, Winry! I picked some apples for you two!"

"Thanks, Al."

Then a faint 'meow' emitted from Al's armor.

Edward turned his head and looked at Al.

"Al... what was that?"

"W-What was what, brother?"

Al rushed out the door, and left the apples on the table. Edward sat up from the couch, he and I walked over to the window. Al had opened up his chestplate and a stray kitten jumped out. _Figures, _I thought. Al's always having a kitten and Ed's probably going to tell Al to get rid of it soon.

Ed had went back on the couch and pulled out a book. It seemed like he was lying on it while he slept. He pulled out a pencil from the book and started to scribble down something. I couldn't see what Ed wrote down. A minute later he inserted the pencil back into the book and closed the book. He went back to sleep. _Wow, he must be tired._

I headed for the kitchen to notice that his clothes were dry. I returned the watch to his pocket and gave back his clothes. He put them back on, then looked up at me.

"Thanks, Winry. Can I ask a question?"

"Sure, what is it?"

"When can you be finished with my automail?"

"I'm not sure, since Grandma Pinako died last year... maybe a week or two..."

Ed had crossed his legs and put his hand on his chin.

"Alright then."

"Why Ed, in a hurry or something?"

"Nah, it's just that Mustang might call to give me another mission again."

**/ Alphonse /**

Maybe I shouldn't have peeked through the window while they were hugging. Maybe I shouldn't have intruded at the moment. Maybe I should try to keep stray cats from meowing inside my armor.

Blah! Weird day today. Brother's always being cocky, but I guess today he felt too tired to do anything.

Brother always had feelings for Winry. He'd never show them in public though, he'd just go in denial, as usual. The military would probably mock him too. Winry's always trying to show signs of affection towards Ed... other than the wrench. She's such a caring person, but I don't think brother is seeing her affection... not now anyways.

†

**A/N:** I think this chapter might be a little confusing. And short. Ed's 17, just so you know. I think there are a LOT of confusing parts in the story, so if you see any, please point them out to me... and grammatical errors. I'm such a perfectionist. X.x;; Anyways, I might have made Ed or Winry a little OOC, or maybe it's just me. Anyways, gomen-nasai, and arigatou! Hoped you liked this chapter!


	2. Call For Coloniel

**It's Not How The Heart Works  
****Chapter 2  
****" Call For Coloniel "**

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**Disclaimer:** I do not own any characters from FullMetal Alchemist, Hiromu Arakawa does. If I did own FMA, I would make Mustang my boy toy.

†

**/ Back at East City HQ / Roy Mustang / 11:00 AM /**

_Bang!_

It was none other than Lt. Riza Hawkeye, purposely missing me by one centimeter by my ear with her gun. I instantly woke up at the sound of the gunfire.

"Sir, this is no time to be napping, you have a lot of paperwork to do."

_Damn._ I was sleeping on the job again. Better get back to work before Hawkeye decides not to miss purposely anymore.

"Um, yes Lt. Hawkeye. I was simply resting my eyes for a brief moment."

I saw Riza roll her eyes at me in disbelief with her arms crossed. She put her gun back in her holster and walked out of my office, and slamming the door, as if she wanted to make sure I was still awake. _Jeez, she can be really scary sometimes._

I stared at my desk.

Two stacks of paper. Each about two feet, three feet high?

I started on the first stack, signing the papers.

**∞ Later ∞ 5:00PM ∞**

Finally. Done with both stacks.

_Knock knock._

"Sir, may I intrude?"

"Come in, Lieutenant."

I knew Riza's voice anywhere... and she was the only one who always adressed me as 'sir.'

Everyone else either called me Coloniel, Roy, Mustang, bastard, bi...

"Sir, this is no time to be daydreaming. Have you finished your paperwork?"

I lost my trail of thought.

"Yes, it's all over there," I said, pointing to the right of me.

Riza made a whistle with her fingers and brought in Havoc and Feury.

"Each of you pick up one stack, NOW." She had her hand on her gun.

Havoc and Feury instantly turned blue.

"YES MA'AM!"

They both knew when she had her hand on her gun like that, _she meant buisiness._

The picked up the papers and ran out of the room.

"So, Riza, what brings you here? Or are you just here for the paperwork."

Riza motioned her lips about to speak until the phone rang.

"You are dismissed."

Riza bowed slightly then exited the room, slamming the door behind her, as usual.

"Hello, Coloniel Mustang speaking."

It was the Fuhrer.

"Hello Mustang. You have an assignment. You will be accompanied by the Iron Blood and Armstrong. You guys will go to the site where Scar had killed 11 alchemists."

"11 alchemists have died?"

"Indeed, Mustang. I have decided to send in _professionals_. Please meet Iron Blood and Armstrong by the abandoned laboratory tomorrow morning at 6AM sharp. You will be investigating anything you find suspicious."

"Can't you send FullMetal to do it?"

"Are you questioning my orders?"

"No, sir."

"Then carry on with your mission."

Something felt wrong about this mission... but one to question the Fuhrer was unwise.

**∞ Fuhrer's Office ∞**

_Ring, ring._

"Update, Ochirou."

"All is going as planned, Kese."

"Good. The Flame will certainly be... _surprised._"

†

**A/N:** Gomen-nasai, this chapter's short, but it's like... midnight now... and for the fact I had finals today, but I was burning with inspiration!The next chapter WILL be longer! I promise (did I say that last time? o.o)! Ochirou will be Kesenai Tsumi's brother. Twin brother, at fact. Kese will be Kesenai's nickname, just to clear things up! Next chapter : Ambush! Roy fans, please don't kill me!


	3. The Bistro

**It's Not How The Heart Works  
****Chapter 3  
****" The Bistro "**

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**Disclaimer:** I do not own FMA or any characters from FMA. Hiromu Arakawa does. If I did own FMA, I would make Envy my personal palm tree. x3

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**A/N:** I decided not to do that / **character-name** / thing anymore, since for me, it felt kind of stupid. I'll make it so you can piece things together though. I also decided to put off "Ambush" for a bit longer, since this chapter's kind of long. n.n Happy reading!

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_BEEP, BEEP, BEEP..._

_Damn alarm clock!_ I had just woken up to the sound of it. 4:00 AM. Damn, set it at the wrong time again... one hour early...

I guess I could go get some breakfast. I slipped into some blue jeans and a black t-shirt. I put on a leather jacket that was by my dresser and walked out of my office.

I guess I could go to the Darner's Cafe off Wheelturn Avenue (**A/N:** yes I know, it was an off-the-top name, don't say anything about it xD). I walked down Mulberey Road and turned to see the sign marked 'Wheelturn AVE.' To my dissapointment, the cafe was closed. _Damn, forgot! The cafe owner died just two days ago..._

I walked around, then heard a slight grumbling sound.

"Argh, I'm so hungry!"

I spotted what seemed like a sign that said 'Lover's Bistro.'

_Yes, a cafe!_

I walked in and immediately smelled hazelnut coffee. It was a soothing smell.

I walked in. The place looked like a nightclub. I stared at the clock. 5:00AM. I've got time to kill.

The bartender was wiping the table beside me. He spotted me since I came in, no doubt.

"What can I get ya?"

"Coffee, dark. Maybe a bagel or something?"

"Sure."

I gave him a small smile and looked on the left of me. There was a small stage, and tables with lots of people, clapping. The spotlight came up and a girl walked up from the curtains of the small stage. It was a beautiful woman with long, blonde hair, brown eyes, and a beautiful body. She was wearing a white skirt that went to her knees and a black tank top. Wait a second...

He looked back at the face of the woman. _LIEUTENANT RIZA HAWKEYE!_

A person from the audience had brung up a microphone for her.

She cleared her throat and then started to speak.

"Tonight, I give you a poem that I wrote yesterday. I call it, 'A Bleeding Heart.'"

There were many claps and cheers. She had dug into her pockets and pulled out a small little black book. Then she recited the poem.

_**"To speak the language of a bleeding heart…  
Crumpled papers falling,  
Lightning-tight words flying  
As if…  
As if there were still hope  
Of mending the open wound  
With childlike wonder,  
With wanton abandon and endless  
Fascination with the way two bodies touch…"**_

There was complete silence as the smell of coffee still drifted around the room. The bartender had tapped me on the shoulder lightly, and set a cup of coffee and a plate with a bagel in front of me. I nodded with thanks as she continued to wipe the tables.

_**"No, it can't be so simple as that…  
The wingless fae with a wand of spun gold  
Could not chase the red river away.  
Erect a dam, tend it well…as maybe, just maybe,  
The flow of blood, the arching white-hot lance  
Of pain may slow…a bit."**_

I wonder what Riza is doing here... has she been doing this awhile?

"She's a beauty, eh?"

The bartender looked up at Riza, then at me. I didn't say anything.

"Hey, you know her or something? You haven't touched any of your food since you've gotten here. All you've been doing is stare at her."

"By any chance, do you know her name?"

"Yeah, the gal's name is Riza."

I was still in shock. Yeah, it was Riza! I still couldn't believe it though.

"I see." I gulped down the coffee and ate the bagel, then continued to set my gaze against Riza.

_God. She looks beautiful. I looked at her hair. Beautiful, free flowing, sleek and shiny. The way she stands, the way she made her dress twirl in such a way..._

_**"To speak the language of a bleeding heart…  
Soft tears falling,  
Gentle touches soothing  
As if…  
As if there were still hope  
Of mending this bloody, open wound  
With childlike wonder,  
With love calmly given as two bodies touch  
In fascination with the blood that still flows…"**_

Riza closed her eyes then the spotlight turned off. There were claps, cheers and whistles as she walked off the stage.

God, why was I thinking this way about her! Am I being perverted again? _She did look beautiful though... no, she looked drop dead gorgeous..._

She was heading for the door, where I was. Potpourri. The smell of potpurri was covered all over her. What a heavenly scent...

Then she stopped dead in her tracks and turned around to face me, with a look of shock on her face.

"_Coloniel?_ What are you doing here?"

"I was going to ask you the same question."

"Well... er... I was..." She was about to run until I grabbed her wrist.

Potpourri. Her hair. her eyes. The way she stands. The heavenly smell. It felt like my body had been frozen with emotions rushing through every part of my body. My heart was pounding. Pounding.

The smell of potpourri mixed with coffee put both of us into a weird trance in that very moment. I leaned in and locked my lips against hers. _Get away from her! Break the kiss!_ My mind was screaming, get away, but my heart wanted to make the kiss last forever. _Lips... so sweet... so..._

Riza broke the kiss with a flush coming to her cheeks.

"W-What was that for..."

"I-I d-don't know..."

Then the entire cafe and the bartender started to clap, yell, and whistle. They had saw me kiss her.

I looked at Riza and she was thinking the same thing. _GET OUT OF THE CAFE, NOW._

We both ran out until the Bistro was nowhere to be seen.

Riza was still holding my hand, and yanked it away.

"What the hell was that for!"

"I don't know! You just looked damn beautiful alright!"

I looked away from her, but she already noticed the bright red blush that came to my face, a red that was redder than Ed's coat.

"Oh... I see..."

She looked away with a blush just as red.

We both walked side by side, at the crack of dawn.

I stared at my watch. 5:45. OH SHIT.

"Riza, I've got to get back to HQ at 6:00AM!"

"Oh god, it's 15 'til 6! Better run!"

She grabbed my hand, why, I do not know, and we ran towards HQ. She made sure nobody spotted us and we ran down the halls, as we listened to the _click click_ sound of Riza's high heels. She lost her balance then fell right on top of me. I turned around to be face to face with Riza. We blushed again and we were in a daze for a brief moment, then got up to running again. Riza rushed into her quarters and it seemed as if she blew me a kiss... but that wasn't the reason now!

I WAS GONNA BE LATE!

I ran into my office and quickly changed back into my military uniform.

5:57 AM. Phew. What a night...

I walked outside to find Gran and Armstrong waiting for me by the car.

†

**A/N:** The poem that Riza recited was by Dena L. Moore, also entitled, Bleeding Heart. A little bit of lime, nothing too messy. Hope you enjoyed this chappie! Arigatou!


	4. Ambush

**It's Not How The Heart Works  
****Chapter 4  
****" Ambush "**

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**Disclaimer:** I don't know how many times I've gotta say it, I won't own FMA and never will, lucky Hiromu Arakawa does! If I did own FMA though, I'd so put in a scene where there's only yaoi. :o

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**A/N:** Okay, last chapter I made Roy all OOC. I've been putting off the chapter "Ambush" for a while now... blah! Gotta stop procrastinating! T.T;;

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I was in the car on the way to Central, Armstrong was sleeping and Basque Gran was in the front seat, talking to someone on the phone.

I gazed out the window looking out at the endless hills while the sun crept up on the horizon. Daybreak.

I could still feel small tingles all over after the incident that had happened with Riza.

**_"You just looked gorgeous, okay?"_**

Damn, why did I have to say that to her? No, DAMN, why was I even THINKING of that! I mean, I WORK with her for god sake! What's wrong with me...

God, but it feels like I can't stop thinking about her now. Riza, Riza, Riza. That name played in my mind like a broken record player, over and over, yet I wasn't tired of hearing the name.

The kiss, the potpourri, the Bistro, the poem, her dress, her hair, the kiss...

Was riza just a co-worker? Just Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye? I don't know anymore.

∞

Finally, bed. I sat on the side of my bed and took a deep breath then relaxed myself.

I removed the black tank top and the white skirt and sighed. I took off the black high heels that I ran in and slipped into a satin white nightgown.

I crept under the covers and tried to sleep, but there was only one thing on my mind right now.

Roy Mustang.

I couldn't stop thinking of what happened. No, my mind kept playing back those moments I had with Roy.

What was I thinking of. Roy could have any other woman that would be more beautiful than me. A woman that wouldn't try to always rig him with bullets all the time, a woman that would crawl over him like ants on a cake...

...a woman who's heart he would have yet to break. I'm not going to be left heartbroken though. I'm not that stupid like all the other women Roy dated. No, I'm not going to give in to this crap. It was just a kiss because I looked beautiful, nothing more...

...was it?

I stared at the ceiling and remembered Roy's coat. He had dropped it in the hallway.

I crept outside in the hallways when I saw a jacket in the middle of the hallway. I ran over, picked it up, then scurried back into my room as if I never left it.

Still warm. The smell was cinnamon. A enticing, spicy cinnamon scent. Enough to drive you mad with lust. I curled up with it, as it helped me go to sleep.

Does he really love me though...

**_"...don't wait for love, let it find you..."_**

I looked up at my clock. 6:05 AM. I need to be up by 8AM. I felt my eyelids get heavy and then drifted to sleep.

∞

We had arrived to Central, but it felt like there was something terribly wrong.

"We have arrived at _Central_... sister..."

I looked up at Armstrong as he transformed into a woman before my very eyes. Basque Gran was a Homonculus, specifically Envy, a shapeshifter. The driver was a boy, that looked much like the woman.

The driver got up and exited the car then dragged me out.

"What the hell is this doing?"

The other three got out of the car, and I got a better look at them. Envy was dressed in black, a tight fitting sleeveless shirt, and had bands on his ankles and wrists. He wore what seemed like shorts and on his right leg was the mark of the Homonculus.

The woman had a crimson red dress that went to her knees, strapless, with boots and gloves to match. Her hair was of a raven black, almost unreal, that went to her neck and covered one of her eyes. Her lips were of a blood red and her eyes of an ebony black. It seemed like she was almost, unhuman. All at once... she was strikingly beautiful in a creepy way...

The so called driver took off the drivers uniform to reveal a boy with short untame hair, black, and with red eyes. He wore a coat similar to Ed's, but black... he wore a dark blue muscle shirt, and pants and boots the same color.

"Well, is anyone going to answer me? What the hell's happening?"

The woman had snapped her fingers and then Central had faded away. The car faded away and it looked like they were in some kind of underground dungeon.

"My name is Kesenai. The Homonculus is Envy, as you may know, and your so called driver is my brother, Ochirou. I'm here to kill you, basically. I'll do it swift and painless... oh but you do look so handsome... I wish I didn't have to do it."

Kesenai walked closer to me as I raised my right hand, ready to create sparks.

"Oh please, Coloniel... you don't really think that will wor–"

Before she finished her sentence I snapped my fingers, exploding half the dungeon. Ochirou and Envy dodged it, while the girl was nowhere to be seen. I smirked. Guess she couldn't evade my attack.

Then she appeared in my face and pushed me into a nearby chair. She sat on my lap and toyed with my hair.

"Don't you look so _handsome..._"

I got agrivated and snapped my fingers in front of her face. Ochirou and Envy laughed and giggled. Again, she was nowhere to be seen. She wrapped her arms around me. Damn, she was behind me! Kesenai whispered into my ear.

"_I wish I didn't have to kill you..._"

She then turned me around and planted a kiss on my lips. I felt confused for a moment. WHAT THE FUCK WAS SHE DOING! I wanted to pull away, but my body wouldn't move.It felt likeshe was sucking the life out of methrough the kiss.My vision blurred and I felt life slip away from me. I felt so weak, then she broke the kiss. I fell to the floor and went into complete darkness.

"Sister, why did you hesitate like that?"

"Aww brother, I was just having a little fun. So, Envy... how did you like my little play?"

"You killed the Coloniel in... less than fifteen minutes... impressive my dear. We'll talk."

∞

Sunlight crept through the windows and my clock sounded. 8:00 AM. I went to go to the bathroom, since I was always the first one up. I washed my face, fixed up my hair, put on my uniform, took out my gun, and got ready to wake up the rest of the military.

First off, Major Feury. I knocked on his door.

"FEURY! EIGHT O'CLOCK, WAKE UP SOLDIER!" He was already up. I moved on to the other rooms.

Breda, and Falman were already up.

I went to Havoc's room, and found a girl in his bed. I shot at him 5 times and missed purposely. The girl ran out, and I sawmore than I needed to see.

"Lieutenant Havoc, I don't think you should be messing with women today. We've got a lot of work to do."

"Man, Riza, you sure know how to ruin the morning."

I rolled my eyes as Havoc got out of bed.

I then went to Hughes' room. He was always oversleeping, he always stayed up late talking to his beloved wife and his daughter Elysia.

"Lieutenant Coloniel Hughes, time to wake up!" I shot through the door and he woke up with a scream.

Alright, so everyone's up now.

Everyone headed to the meeting room.

Feury, Havoc, Breda, and Falman all looked like they slept late. Hughes came in with a whole bunch of pictures with Elysia and a sunny expression on his face.

"Look at her on her tricycle! Doesn't she look so adorable?"

Everyone backed away from Hughes, as he continued to admire his pictures of Elysia.

I took out my clipboard and started to read from it.

"Coloniel Mustang is on a mission with Alex Armstrong and Basque Gran, and will be back in time for the State Alchemist Entrance Exam. As you know, since the Entrance Exam is coming up, we have to prepare the grounds so that the alchemists can preform their alchemic skills. Feury, you have to prepare the judge tables and print out the judging sheets. Breda and Falman, I want you to set up the dueling grounds."

Breda raised his hand and waved it in the hair. _Sigh..._

"YES, BREDA?"

He looked back at me with a scared expression.

"I thought that the Exam didn't have dueling in it."

"Oh, yes, about that, this year, instead of creating something from scratch, this year there will be dueling in the second part of the exam."

"Wicked... let's see who dies first!"

I shot an icy glare at Falman.

"Don't speak unless given permission. Moving on... Breda and Falman sets up the dueling grounds... oh yes, Hughes, please go call the Elric's. They are in Rizenboul at the Rockbell's place, tell FullMetal that he has to organize the participating alchemists in the exam."

"Sure thing, Hawkeye!"

_Sigh!_ Hughes' always being so happy.

I stared at all of them for a while.

"Well, what the hell are you guys waiting for? GET TO WORK! I WANT ALL OF THIS DONE BY SUNDOWN! THE EXAM'S TOMORROW! Dismissed."

Everyone scattered out of the meeting room and I headed to Roy's office. Now that he was gone, I was left to do HIS work AND mine.

I looked at his desk. Holy god, it was buried in paperwork.

I cleaned it up and something fell to the floor. It was a picture of me and Roy, we were celebrating White Day. The boys were supposed to give the girls a white ribbon to the girl they loved. If they put the ribbon on for you, it is said that your love will last forever. I looked at the picture, Roy was putting a white ribbon in my hair, as I was smiling. I shoved the picture back into his desk. Nobody must ever see that side of me... not now.

I started on the paperwork as the ticking of the clock went by.

†

**A/N:** Dude, I needa know what time era this is, I hardly know if they have cell phones and washing machines! I was never really specific with Riza's outfit... sorry! and credits go to Maylin-chan for some metaphors! Yes castles exist in my stories, and yes Hughes screams in this story. Yes, I made Roy die, DON'T KILL ME JUST YET! Gomen-nasai, I'll update soon!


	5. Time To Ourselves

**It's Not How The Heart Works  
Chapter 5  
" Time To Ourselves "**

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**Disclaimer: **Yadda, yadda, yadda, I don't own FMA, never will, yadda, yadda, yadda.

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**A/N:** From this point forward I'm going to be spelling Rizenboul, Resembool. X.x;; I really need to work on spelling... faint fluff in this story, nothing too citrusy yet.

†

Tomorrow was the day of the State Alchemist Entrance Exam. 4:30AM. I was lying on the couch, waiting for my arm, the same thing I've been doing for the past few days.

_Ring, ring!_

"Hello? Oh, hey Hughes! Uh, yeah, Elysia's probably an angel. Ed? Oh sure. Ed! It's Maes! He wants to talk to you!"

I looked over at Winry as she held out the phone. She worked tirelessly for nights on my arm.

"Hello?"

"Heya Ed! Elysia's so cute, she can dance around and swirl in her new pink dress that Gracia bought her it's just so,"

"Hughes, what did you really call me for?"

"Ahem, yes, as I was saying, Hawkeye wants you back at Headquarters to organize participants in the Entrance Exam."

"Can't Roy do it?"

"Well, actually Roy's been gone for days off with Gram and Alex Louis. We still haven't gotten word from them yet. Hawkeye's doing his job, until Fuhrer gets a replacement, since Roy's usually one of the judges for the entrance exam."

"Alright, I'll catch the train."

I gave the phone back to Winry as she continued to work on my arm.

"Done. I made your arm stronger this time, but it means it'll also be a little heavier, and you'll have to oil it more often. Since the lighter one basically was annihilated, I guess I should work on how tough your arm is. Ready to connect it to your nerves?"

I gulped. Connecting the arm to my nerves felt like burning in excruciating pain. Still, it had to be done.

"Yeah, might as well get over it."

Winry walked over to me and I got up from lying down on the sofa. She took out blue and red wires from my shoulder socket and connected them with the ones on the newly made arm. She pushed in the arm carefully and turned the handle that would connect the arm to my nerves.

As she turned the handle swiftly, I felt a burning surge of lightning pain through my arm, pulsating down to my chest, making me yelp.

"AGH!"

Winry jolted back for a moment, and took out the handle.

She went to get me a pillow and put it under my head. The pain, still in my arm, dulled to numbness, as I fell asleep.

∞

I sat next to Ed while he slept. He always looked so peaceful in his sleep, with a look of silent melancholy on his face. I took my index finger and traced it over his facial attributes. _Still a child_, no matter what he thinks.

"_Humans cannot gain something without giving up something of equal value in return. That is alchemy's first law of equivalent exchange. Al's body was taken, along with my left leg and right arm, yet we got nowhere, our mom has seized to return to flesh and blood. Where's the equivalent exchange in that!_"

I remembered when he said those words, I remembered them well. He was so hurt at what happened.

_One child, one thousand sins to bear_...

I wish I could take away all the pain, all the misery he endured, I wish, I wish. Yet I was only his automail mechanic, nothing more, and once he got his limbs back, I'd be forgotten forever, he'd live happily with Al.

Salty tears fell from my eyes, and landed on Ed's flesh and blood arm. His eyes instantly fluttered open and saw the water in my eyes.

"Winry, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, something was in my eye."

"That's the oldest and worst lie in the book. Really, what's wrong?"

I hesitated for a moment, but decided to tell him, just in case he would leave me again, or even die...

The thought made me choke on sobs as Ed took me in his arms and pat me on the back cooingly.

"Shh, it's okay, it's okay."

I backed away from his embrace.

"N-no, it isn't okay. Once you get your limbs back, you'll forget about me forever. Like you said, I'm only your mechanic, nothing more. You'll live happily with Alphonse. Or you'll leave me again and get yourself almost killed."

"Winry..."

"No, Ed. I don't want to hear anything like, 'that won't happen' or 'I'm not going to do that.' I know you Ed, you'll do anything to get Al's body back, even if it means giving up your own life."

Ed looked down at his arm and moved around his fingers, making a fist then extending his fingers again.

"Winry, you're right, but I wouldn't block you out of my life forever. You're more than just an automail mechanic to me."

My heartbeat sped up, hoping at the next words he would say.

"You're... special... in ways that I really couldn't say in words alone..."

I looked down at my lap, hoping that he wouldn't see more tears spill from my eyes. With his left arm he touched my chin and raised my face until we met eye to eye. He looked at me with a saddening look, I couldn't really read. It was a mixture of pure angst and sadness, and somewhat longing, I don't know. I closed my eyes as more tears fell, uncontrollably, but, I had felt something on my face. Ed was kissing away my tears, starting from my cheeks, until he met my lips.

He pressed his lips against mine as I tasted my own cries on his lips. The kiss was conforting, painful, loving, needing, sweet, salty, all at the same time. Emotions could be felt through the both of us, as it felt like the kiss would never end.

I wanted to break the kiss, my mind said break away, for he will leave and put me in shambles again, but my heart screamed his name, just wanting to stay there forever, and so my heart overpowered my mind.

Ed broke the kiss slowly and looked at me through sunset orbs. A look, still childish, yet mature at the same time. He picked me up and headed to my room, where he set me on the bed.

He wrapped his arms around mine and set his head on my shoulder. It felt comforting, knowing he was with me, at this very mome—

My thoughts were cut off as I found Ed lightly sucking on the nape of my neck. I breathed in short gasps as he continued his actions. I fell back onto the bed as he fell with me, until...

_Ring, ring! Ring, ring!_

DAMNIT, WHO THE HELL IS THAT, I thought loudly in my mind. Both our thoughts were interrupted as the phone kept ringing.

Ed had grinned reassuringly and picked up the phone.

"Hello?"

"May I speak to Ed? This is the Fuhrer."

"Ed speaking Fuhrer, sir."

"Because of Coloniel Roy Mustang's absence, you are promoted to the rank Coloniel and you will also be one of the judges in the Exam."

I looked at Ed, he had a stunned look on his face.

"Understood, sir."

"What happened, Ed?"

"I'm _Coloniel_ Ed now! Roy's absent, so I've been promoted to Coloniel!"

"That's great Ed, but... that means you'll have to go, huh?"

I looked down at the front of my hands, clenching onto the bedsheets.

Ed picked me up and stood me upright. He kissed me on the forehead then hugged me.

"Yes, I do."

I started to cry again, but instead I dug my head into Ed's chest. I could feel his heart. It was beating with mine, strangely.

"I'm coming with you."

"WHAT?"

He backed away.

"You can't come! It's the Exam and..."

I looked up at him with hopeful eyes, as he easily gave in.

"Fine, fine!"

We both started to pack, as Alphonse had come home from getting items for the train ride to Headquarters.

†

**A/N:** Well, I guess this chapter was a little more than fluff but not exactly lime, and not lemony. Just felt like putting something in before the Exam. n.n;; To the reviews!

**Kumori-hime: **Alright, no need to get your knickers in a knot. Roy isn't going to stay dead forever, I'm not THAT evil. Thanks for reviewing!  
**  
AlchemistVyolet: **Thanks for the info, hopefully that'll clear things up for the story in the future! Thanks for reviewing!

**XKenKao12X:** Yes, Kesenai Tsumi means Unerasable Sin. Just thought it matched her personality though. n.n Thanks for reviewing!

**caiyoko:** Yes, errors, errors. Thanks for reviewing!


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